If it was mine I would fill any potholes then put a couple of inches of c40 on top. I have done a couple of eroded silage pit floors this way and the farmer was very happy with the job.We’ve got a few very old and rough/pitted shed and indoor silage clamp floors. Ideally want a power float finish for future uses.
What thickness of c40 concrete should we use to pour over the existing slab? Can’t go the full 6inch as it would cock the levels up too much.
Thanks
These silage pits are still used as silage pits........Can pressure wash them beforehand no problem.
Would 2 inches be enough for heavy traffic? Well would be telehandlers in and out mainly.
The subbase isn’t an issue I can put as much stone in as I can shake a stick at extremely cheaply, it’s currently on a 4” concrete thickness and has only lasted since the early 90’s. (With about 12” of base)Would think 4 inches would be the minimum but depends on your appetite for risk. If sub base is solid may get away with thinner possibly 3. Old man did all our yard with 4" on about 12" subbase of gathered field stones in late 60s. It has held up ok even with artic lorries having to shunt quite a bit to get turned.
Cost it at 2" depth then 4" and work out whether the cost to replace is worth the saving if it goes wrong. Hows its laid and cured will affect strength in many cases (properly vibrated to get air out and covered for first 28 days to stop it drying out whilst curing).
Biggest reason for pad failure is traffic too soon. For artics etc you need to give it a month before use. If not it cracks underneath and these cracks work their way up through the slab over time. You do get high early strength concrete but it is basically just c45.The subbase isn’t an issue I can put as much stone in as I can shake a stick at extremely cheaply, it’s currently on a 4” concrete thickness and has only lasted since the early 90’s. (With about 12” of base)
we have a high traffic volume so u suspect this is to blame and no drainage in the yard so water sits around for a while.
I’ve been measuring and costing it to go 5” with drainage installed with fibres in the concrete but I’m half tempted to put some mesh in too for the relative cost (in comparison to the above and the hassle factor of in potentially 30 years having to do it all again.
That’s going to be the issue and why I’m looking in to doing it in the summer. As this is the ‘main yard’ it’s unavoidable apart from going cross country. Hope for a dry summer and can just drive across a couple of fields to gain access from ‘the back’Biggest reason for pad failure is traffic too soon. For artics etc you need to give it a month before use. If not it cracks underneath and these cracks work their way up through the slab over time. You do get high early strength concrete but it is basically just c45.
100% use mesh if you want it to last. Fibres are no replacement for meshThe subbase isn’t an issue I can put as much stone in as I can shake a stick at extremely cheaply, it’s currently on a 4” concrete thickness and has only lasted since the early 90’s. (With about 12” of base)
we have a high traffic volume so u suspect this is to blame and no drainage in the yard so water sits around for a while.
I’ve been measuring and costing it to go 5” with drainage installed with fibres in the concrete but I’m half tempted to put some mesh in too for the relative cost (in comparison to the above and the hassle factor of in potentially 30 years having to do it all again.
We did half the yard infront of intake pit 6 years ago, I really don't know what concrete they used, but it was dug out on Friday night after 6 pm, levelled, sub base vibration rolled in, screeds set up by 1am, concrete poured at 6.30 Saturday morning, tempted down and left to dry,Biggest reason for pad failure is traffic too soon. For artics etc you need to give it a month before use. If not it cracks underneath and these cracks work their way up through the slab over time. You do get high early strength concrete but it is basically just c45.
To be fair I think there’s allot of ‘airing on the side of caution’ when it comes to concrete and weights.We did half the yard infront of intake pit 6 years ago, I really don't know what concrete they used, but it was dug out on Friday night after 6 pm, levelled, sub base vibration rolled in, screeds set up by 1am, concrete poured at 6.30 Saturday morning, tempted down and left to dry,
Monday morning at 6am 44 tonne lorries were turning and screwing around to get on the in take pit, it gets around 16/18 lorries a day tipping ,
Not a sign of a crack or scuffled top surface,
What concrete would that be ?
Alternative to sheeting is to get a product you spray on with a knapsack sprayer. Did our farm road in the late `80s & its still fineand needs to be covered and left to cure for a month etc.
Would think 4 inches would be the minimum but depends on your appetite for risk. If sub base is solid may get away with thinner possibly 3. Old man did all our yard with 4" on about 12" subbase of gathered field stones in late 60s. It has held up ok even with artic lorries having to shunt quite a bit to get turned.
Cost it at 2" depth then 4" and work out whether the cost to replace is worth the saving if it goes wrong. Hows its laid and cured will affect strength in many cases (properly vibrated to get air out and covered for first 28 days to stop it drying out whilst curing).
It’s over an existing slab of concrete so sub base can’t get much harder than that. It’s more to get a better finish and don’t want to grind down as a few bits of rebar now exposedWould think 4 inches would be the minimum but depends on your appetite for risk. If sub base is solid may get away with thinner possibly 3. Old man did all our yard with 4" on about 12" subbase of gathered field stones in late 60s. It has held up ok even with artic lorries having to shunt quite a bit to get turned.
Cost it at 2" depth then 4" and work out whether the cost to replace is worth the saving if it goes wrong. Hows its laid and cured will affect strength in many cases (properly vibrated to get air out and covered for first 28 days to stop it drying out whilst curing).
Did you get any before and after pictures?These silage pits are still used as silage pits........
A well compacted base is one keystone. Laying over DPM another and an absolute minimum of 200mm C40 concrete with a maximum 4” slump using a proper slump cone are two more.To be fair I think there’s allot of ‘airing on the side of caution’ when it comes to concrete and weights.
I spoke to a guy I know in the concrete plant where I run some lorry’s in to and he said for the traffic and weight need to be atleast 250mm with mesh and fibres etc, needs to be vibrated and tamped out and needs to be covered and left to cure for a month etc.
I think the reality is there is a correct way to do it following manufacture spec and advice to the letter, and then there’s what the reality is you can get away with. Got to remember the manufacturers will add a percentage of time on for everything to make sure they don’t say yeah be fine after 48 hrs and it’s not and then there liable.
from abit of patch work we did we kept off it for 48 hrs and its not been an issue.
You couldn't do half the yard then the other half later?That’s going to be the issue and why I’m looking in to doing it in the summer. As this is the ‘main yard’ it’s unavoidable apart from going cross country. Hope for a dry summer and can just drive across a couple of fields to gain access from ‘the back’
I also run lorry’s so finding somewhere to park them up etc is going to be a task especially if it needs about a month!
No, but not far from me so could maybe get a couple of pictures at the weekend.Did you get any before and after pictures?
You do get additives that will cut the cure time, like everything it all costs but if benefit is apparent its worthwhile.We did half the yard infront of intake pit 6 years ago, I really don't know what concrete they used, but it was dug out on Friday night after 6 pm, levelled, sub base vibration rolled in, screeds set up by 1am, concrete poured at 6.30 Saturday morning, tempted down and left to dry,
Monday morning at 6am 44 tonne lorries were turning and screwing around to get on the in take pit, it gets around 16/18 lorries a day tipping ,
Not a sign of a crack or scuffled top surface,
What concrete would that be ?
Edit, there was steel mesh and fibre in it